Excavation begins in search of body of Richard III under a car park

Archaeologists are preparing to dig up a car park in Leicester to find the
remains of the last English king to die in battle, more than 500 years ago.

3:38PM BST 24 Aug 2012

Historical records show that Richard III was buried in the church of a Franciscan friary in Leicester shortly after his defeat and death at the hands of Henry Tudor's army in the Battle of Bosworth in 1485.

But the destruction of the friary as Britain's monasteries were dissolved under Henry VIII and subsequent removal of its stone ruins meant that over the ensuing centuries the king's exact burial site was forgotten.

Now the mystery of where his body lies could finally be solved after an examination of historical maps by archaeologists located the most likely site for the church, in the car park of a social services office in the centre of Leicester.

Leicester University said its excavation was the first ever attempt by experts to find the lost grave of an anointed King of England.

Experts tracked down Canadian-born Michael Ibsen, 55, ahead of what is thought to be the first ever attempt to find the lost grave of an anointed King of England.

Mr Ibsen, the 17th generation nephew of Richard III, was present as a team from Leicester University used ground penetrating radar equipment to help identify the best spots in the car park to begin their excavation.

On Saturday the archaeologists will begin digging two deep trenches along the north and south sides of the site, hoping to find foundations of the Franciscan church in which the King was laid to rest after his death in the Battle of Bosworth in 1485.